The Supernova Challenge 2.0, the world’s largest early-stage startup pitch competition, concluded today at Expand North Star. It showcased groundbreaking innovations from across the globe. With a total prize pool of $200,000, the challenge saw record-breaking participation, highlighting the UAE’s position as a global hub for tech entrepreneurship.
Organised by Dubai World Trade Centre and hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, Expand North Star, the world largest startup and investment event, marked its biggest and busiest edition this year. With a 40 percent increase in global participation for 2024, GITEX Global and Expand North Star welcomed over 1,800 startups and more than 1,200 investors.
In a thrilling display of innovation, Latvian Health Tech startup Longenesis wowed the judges at the recent competition, clinching the top prize of $100,000. This groundbreaking digital health company is revolutionizing 21st-century healthcare by accelerating the development of innovative treatments and enhancing patient engagement.
With partnerships spanning leading healthcare institutions, global life sciences companies, and national governments, Longenesis has positively impacted over 850,000 patients across the EU and MENA regions.
Filled with excitement from his win, Emil Syundyukov, Co-Founder and CEO of Longenesis, shared his vision for how this significant achievement will accelerate the company’s growth, saying: “It is all about unlocking the hidden value of data. By engaging broader populations and bringing them into the data conversation, we can help therapies reach those in need faster. This win is just the start for us. We’re here to raise geographical borders for healthcare research and scale up, especially in the Gulf region, which we see as a focal point for healthcare innovations.”
ProfilePrint from Singapore secured 2nd place, winning $60,000 for its groundbreaking AI-driven ingredient quality platform. Utilizing patented digital food identity-as-a-service (IDaaS) technology, ProfilePrint synthesizes complex molecular data into digital fingerprints, empowering agribusinesses to make data-driven decisions that enhance product quality and efficiency.
Meanwhile, NEXTPAYMENTS INC. from South Korea claimed the 3rd place prize of $35,000, led by CEO Jee Kwangchol, whose cutting-edge solutions offer personalized retail experiences through advanced AI kiosks and smart store technology.
Record-breaking Participation from Leading Global Startups
The Supernova Challenge 2.0 witnessed an unprecedented surge in applications, with over 650 startups vying for the coveted Overall Supernova Champion title, after six months of semifinals from Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, and the Americas.
Underscoring its global appeal, the competition drew participants from an impressive 69 countries across the world, with UAE, India, and South Korea among the top nations.
The participating startups showcased a diverse range of development stages, with 39% in the Seed/Early stage, 24% at Series A, 18% in Pre-Seed, and 11% as bootstrapped ventures. Reflecting current industry trends, AI, SaaS, and Healthcare emerged as the three most represented sectors, highlighting the cutting-edge innovations that are propelling the global startup ecosystem and advancing the shift towards an AI-driven economy.
Intense Competition Culminates in Grand Finale
After live qualifying rounds in 16 countries, the competition intensified as 155 semi-finalists from 50 countries, predominantly representing AI, fintech, and healthtech sectors battled through the final rounds.
On the final day of Expand North Star 2024, 20 finalists from diverse countries, including France, China, Bangladesh, Germany, Brazil, Latvia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Ireland, the UK, and India, presented their innovations to a distinguished jury of global investors and influential tech personalities.
The panel included Cristobal Alonso, Global CEO of Startup Wise Guys; Ibrahim Faruqi, Investor at Bessemer Venture Partners; Stephanie Nour, Partner at Nuwa Capital; Mattia Lecchi, Head of Immediate Accelerator at RS Productions; Mike Butcher, Editor at Large of TechCrunch; and Karim Konsowa, Portfolio Manager at Hub71.
